UK DIY News

Argos unveils 'How We Shop' report

A new independent report has unveiled the new ways that 49 million[1] people are shopping in modern-day Britain.

Eight different shopping ‘tribes’ have been revealed in the How We Shop Report[2], commissioned by Argos through Opinion Matters in partnership with Leeds Beckett University, identifying the different tactics and traits we exhibit when hitting the high streets and surfing the web in the run up to Christmas.

The most popular shopping group is ‘Secret Shoppers’ (one third of shoppers) who shop alone and are least likely to be influenced by other people’s opinions, followed by ‘Advos’ (one in five of shoppers) who are loyal to their brands and prefer to click and collect so that they can get their product immediately.

The group most likely to be shopping right up until Christmas Eve are ‘Radar Shoppers’ (seven per cent of shoppers), who will hit the stores at the last minute because their purchasing is impulsive and unplanned.

‘Shopping Einsteins’ (eight per cent of all shoppers) tend to wait for the flash sales, with roughly eight million of them expected to shop in bed or on the toilet to research and grab bargains before anybody else, while ‘Digital Magpies’ (7.7%) use technology and are most likely to shop at work.

Despite all of the modern day gadgets one in ten shoppers – otherwise known as ‘ReTrads’ (one in ten of all shoppers) still prefer to go into a shop for face-to-face advice and interaction before buying a product. Nine out of ten ‘Peacocks’ (one in forty shoppers) who love to shout about their purchases on social media will be hitting the high street this Christmas.

Finally, ‘Cruisers’ (ten per cent of shoppers) have the most time on their hands and like the social side of hitting the high street and retail parks for all of their shopping.

The report, where Opinion Matters surveyed 2,057 UK consumers, also reveals that the high street is still a key shopping destination, with only nine per cent of shoppers saying they will spend their whole budget online. Roughly 2.8 million shoppers will be looking to grab last minute bargains by mixing and matching the ways they shop, such as reserving items on their smartphone on the way into town to collect in store.

Almost a fifth of shoppers will be using a tablet device to get their Christmas stockings sorted, while men are more likely than women to go surfing the web for Santa’s gifts. The average shopper is set to spend around £365 this Christmas.

Stephen Vowles, Argos Marketing Director, said: “The acceleration of technology and its impact on our lifestyles means the way we shop is changing, as these new ‘shopping typologies’ show. Argos has been the heartbeat of British retail for over 40 years, and as ever, we’re geared up to serve customers in the way that best suits them, whether they’re a ‘ReTrad’ or a ‘Digital Magpie’ and whether they’re shopping from the sofa, on the bus or on-the-move.

“With Christmas a week away, whether you’re a ‘Radar Shopper’ or simply someone who’s forgotten a crucial gift, it’s not too late. With Argos, you can check stock availability at your local store using our app and reserve products, for free, for instant collection right up to Christmas Eve. There’s no better present to yourself than having the peace of mind that you can get your hands on those last minute gifts on your local high street.”

Customers can use Argos’ Check & Reserve service for free, instant pick up from store on Argos’ website and apps. Argos customers can also order large items for home delivery before Christmas Day up until 20 December, and for small items up until 6pm on 22 December.

To download the full How We Shop Report, please visit www.issuu.com/howweshopreport.

[1] UK Adult population, 2011 Census.[2] The research for Argos’ How We Shop Report was carried out by Opinion Matters between 27 November and 5 December 2014, resulting in 2,057 responses from UK consumers.

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